Concours Amphore 2019

We were fortunate enough to be allowed to take part as one of the 150 - 200 jury members in the 2018 Concours Amphore in Paris. We found the experience so interesting and enjoyable that we applied again this year and were once more accepted for jury duty.

The competition has been going 23 years under the benevolent leadership of Pierre Guigui who seems to be on friendly terms with everyone participating. It exists in order to bring organic wines (including natural and biodynamic wines) ever further to the attention of the wine world and general public by awarding gold, silver and bronze medals to worthy wines submitted. There is no doubt that this works.

Pierre is also an animateur of the first order in many other activities to do with wine. He is a selection consultant Les Excellences Biocoop wines as well as three major purchasing offices; Paris Trade Fair’s Grand Jury ; Gault Millau’s label wines for Monoprix and Savour Club, lecturer, author and interestingly Founding Member of the Renewal of Breton Wines movement.

For the 2019 Concours, we had requested to be put on an 'etranger' table only because we noticed last year that there were so many bottles from so many diffrerent countries outside France that we were tempted by the sheer variety.

Our story for 2019 begins with the closure of the Chatelet Metro station to the line we needed to get to the somewhat far flung venue. The generous time we had allotted to arrive at the appointed hour began to trickle away as we attempted to pick up the metro at a neighbouring station. Things went so badly we decided to jump in a taxi but there were none to be found. Finally a taxi appeared but our euphoria was short-lived. Practically the entire route was bumper to bumper. We arrived no less than 45 minutes late assuming we would not be admitted since there was no point in jury members being partly absent.

Mercifully, the proceedings had been delayed even longer and we joined the merry throng for another 15 minutes at least.

A beaming Pierre Guigui was on hand to greet each and every one of the jurists.

Everyone took their places smartly. In 2018 we had been placed at a Jura and Savoie table but we looked in vain for those regions this time. Strange.

We had been assigned Greece and Hungary. What great luck.

Our three fellow-jurors were all delightful Greek ladies involved professionally in the wine business. There was a Sommelier, an importer and a writer - all wonderfully qualified and knowledgeable. They were kind enough to draw us into their circle and discuss our markings. Fortunately we agreed on these more often than not.

Out of the 20 wines presented we will omit the Hungarian contribution because there were only 3 in number and without any very great interest

Eirini Daskalaki makes amphora - and organic wine with her son Yannis.

Discoveries among the Greek wines included the Daskalaki winery from Sliva in Crete.

Their Rose is made from Kotsifali.

The red is from Liatiko.

An Orange wine from Anatolikos Vineyards in Xanthi on the Aegean in Northern Greece was made from Assyrtiko and Malagoussia. You can get it at Pure Wines in the UK but the abv is 14%. Just sayin'.

Also from Anatolikos was this red dessert wine, Pollios Oinos from Mavroudi, Assyrtiko and Muscat.

There had been a wine made from the white Begleri grape but we are not sure which it was. In any case, we didn't give it a high score. Begleri is also known as Thrapsathiri which we have come across before.

For us the major discovery was a winery in Paros called Moraitico. We had singled out this rosetasted  blind as were all the wines. We noted a lovely hint of rose petals.

Also standing out was Moraitico's red from Mandilaria, Monemvasia and Mavrotragono. This was perhaps the best in show for our taste. Our notes included words such as Fascinating, lovely, soft, individual and original. Moraitico seems not to be widely available. This must change!

We were amazed to find Moraitico in this way. We had been to Paros and visited the famous Moraitis winery whose wines we also love but until this Concours Amphore had never heard of Moraitico. Might they by any chance be related?

No less than 6 gold medals and 3 bronze were awarded by the ladies at our table. We didn't contribute to that discussion because such had been the rigour of our other deliberations that we were the very last to hand in our results. Also, thanks to Herve Letheilleux of our favourite natural wine shop 'L'Etiquette,' there was another wine fair not far away which was taking place on the same day: 'Les Affranchis.' We had to get over there quick.